Get help walking in Z Coil Shoes. Shoes that put the spring back in your step

If you’re interested in knowing the benefits I’ve received from these amazing shoes, you’ll probably be excited to read about my experience. If walking is painful or challenging, you can ask yourself, questions, like what are they, how do they work, what do they feel like, do you notice a difference wearing them.  Would they help me, or someone I know?

OK first I’ll give a very condensed story about my walking problems. In a nutshell, I have lost much of the cartilage in my right foot joints and ankle due to post traumatic injury following an accident that occurred about 35 years ago. I had broken my Tibia, Fibula and Ankle in a car accident.  My injuries were compared to a severe skiing or motorcycle accident.  I had multiple surgeries with pins and finally a bone graft. 

All in all it was 19 months before I was pronounced healed and didn’t need to use crutches and had my cast removed.  Unfortunately the actual bones were not set and aligned correctly so for almost 30 years as I walked and tried to be active as possible I wore out the joints, and I was always uncomfortable.

Finally about 7 years ago, I consulted with and found a doctor who had the skill and talent to help me. (Thank you Dr Michael Brage)  I agreed to surgery again and my Tibia was surgically re-broken and aligned properly.  By that time severe arthritic changes had developed and I had problems with my ankle and feet continuing to develop arthritis and wear out the joints. Use this link to view the web site for The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons AAOS

By nature I’m not a couch potato.  I am an active gal who prefers to be out taking a five mile walk a day, hiking on weekends and would love to be dancing.  I also would love to be wearing sexy feminine high heels to go out in but I just can’t manage these things.

So it comes down to what can I do to make walking as easy and enjoyable as possible? I don’t have the spring in my step or the push off that is needed to walk.  Consequently walking is tiring and I get fatigued easily and it feels like my foot and ankle are mashed and that hot cement has been poured in causing swelling and pain.

I decided that I just wasn’t up for any more surgery, fusion, joint replacement, or even Prolotherapy.  If it’s not possible in 2009 to get cartilage replaced in my ankle or foot I am going to find things I can do to help myself walk better and move around better on my two feet!
I did get quite a few Acupuncture sessions and it did help relieve pain and swelling.  I also take Motrin as needed for pain and swelling and it helps.  I don’t like pain medications that are narcotic so I avoid things like prescription pain killers.  I ice when needed and I rest and put my foot up when it hurts.

So I finally went over to the specialty store in San Diego that sells Z-Coil Shoes.  As it’s hot here now I immediately wanted to get the sandals so I chose a pair of tan/brown Sidewinders in woman’s size 8.
Now I immediately noticed that the best way to walk with the Z Coil sandals is from heel down first then to full foot.  I initially thought I would get the heel guard with the sandal so that the spring wouldn’t be noticeable and also so I wouldn’t  accidentally get the spring caught in a rung of a chair or some where.

I first tried on the sandal and with the regular Z Coil heel screwed onto the shoe.  It was like magic!  For the first time I felt light on my feet and felt like I had a spring in my step and felt like I had just taken years off my feet, legs and really throughout my entire frame. For each step I took, instead of feeling a dense flat impact, I felt a strong spring cushioned step lift off and a strong spring back that cushioned the impact when bringing my foot back down again.  I was amazed.  It’s like having built in shock absorbers. So I walked around for awhile and tried the little rocky uneven test board in the store.  I expected that I would feel off balance and that on an uneven rocky surface I would feel like falling over.  That wasn’t the case and the base of the spring on the heel has a spread out heel bottom that seems to distribute the movement helping to maintain stability and balance.

I also had the owner sales Guy Gary put on the covered heel as I thought I would prefer to have the coil invisible, but I immediately noticed that it reduced the spring action of the Z coil and wasn’t nearly as fun to walk in. It took away from the bounce of the shoe and I decided against the covered heel for that reason.

I’ve now had my sandals for about three weeks and I really like them.  I get stopped by people who want to know if they help my back or want to ask me questions about the shoes.

Initially I was self conscious about the shoe because it looked so strange and stood out compared to normal shoes.  But once they were on my feet I soon forgot about their unusual appearance because I felt that I had joined the land of the people who could walk with a bounce in their step.  Also I kind of got into them and realized they made me special.  Another thing I like is that they make me taller so I feel I walk with better posture and look better.

When you can walk normally you usually don’t think about what it feels like to have walking problems.  See article on one of my pet peeves; selfish inconsiderate parkers.)   I can walk through Costco and not feel nearly as tired, I can park my car farther from a stores entrance and walk without wincing and dreading the movement. The really amazing thing is the sandals don’t feel heavy at all.

It’s been so hot here in San Diego I actually haven’t gone out and tried a long neighborhood walk in the Z Coil sandal, but I’m sure I will as soon as it gets down to a reasonable temperature. I do wear them when I’m out doing errands and running around quite a bit. I am looking forward to getting more Z Coils, probably the Freedom Trainers, a pair of hiking boots, and possibly try a new style called the Bella.

I tried a few Ladies closed shoe styles in the store, and I didn’t like them because the leather was much too stiff and unyielding. If I could change a few things, I wish the sandal was a little narrower (for narrow feet) and that the strap over the arch of the front of the foot was padded more.  I added padding, but a small leather pad would have been fabulous. Also they could try to make them a little prettier.
If Z Coil continues to improve and see what they can do to bring more fashion savvy into their line, stay innovative and cutting edge I’d say they will set the stage and stay on the forefront of the new millennium for footwear.
Click on the link to see the latest styles and read information on Z-Coils and to find a store nearest you. Z-Coils Pain Relief